THE RUSSIAN SITUATION.

Manawatu Standard, Volume XLII, Issue 1012, 14 November 1917, Page 5

THE RUSSIAN SITUATION.

TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION AGAIN INTERRUPTED.

DEFEAT OF THE MAXIMALISTS

Australian-New Zealand Cable Asflooi.uion LONDON, Nov. 13.

The Russian position remains obscure. The transmission of news unci messages is again interrupted, although Mr Balfour announced in the House of Commons that he is in daily telegraphic communication' 1 with our, Petrograd Ambassador, who remains at, his post. . . Ho announced -nothing today regarding the position at the front nor the progress of,the crisis in-the'capital;. i Sunday's messages contained Kerensky's . proclamation, to the army, stating that he remains Prime Minister and Commander-in-Chief, having'arrived at,;'the head ol the troops who remained faithful. Other despatches' declare that the Maximalists are retreating in disorder before Kerensky, also that the Maximalists at Moscow wore defeated with 700 casualties. 1 The DaLlv Chronicle learns that Mr Ramsay Ma'cDonald, on Monday, received a telegram'from Kerensky stating that the Provisional, Government had been re-estab-lished. Copenhagen"reports that the fact-of no news'having come from Petrograd on Monday is regarded as a proof that civil! war is in full progress. ] ' . The Soviet Revolutionary Committee issued an order to the Petrograd shopkeepers to re-open on Monday, and also appealed. to the workers to abstain \from strikes and disorders. . • } It is understood that the Workmen s Council appointed a sailor Governor-Gen-eral of Finland and an engine-driver \ iceGovernor. ' The' Railway Union at Petrograd threatened 'a general strike, unless; a reconciliation was? reached by the appointment of democrats to power representing all parties. Negotiations are proceeding. ' The Bolsheviks have dropped their of-fensive-attitude, audi army, headquarters approve of combinations of the democratic "roups of combatants at Moscow to come to" terms on the basis/ of the- creation .0 a Socialistic Government, including the liot--1 sheviks. ) 1 BOLSHEVIKS/COIMC UI4DER. HUNNISH TRICKSION,WOMEN SOLDIERS. WANTON DAMAGE ATA THE WINTER PALACE-) "~LON/DON/ Nov, 12. i The Daily Chronicle's !Petrograd correspondent (Harold the) New ./ealander) states that the Bolsjienks are no longer master of the situation. ' They are hampered by insufficient reFablo) men. Important' posts' are entrusted fto yquths, with ludicrous results. The gp.rrison contains many anxious for peace Consequently there .-is much -dissension. \ On the-other hand,1 the sailors are willing;, on the whole, to continue tlie struggle) against the 1 rovisiotial Government. Some thousands marched to Petrograd to defend the Hoi-, shev|iks. Tlie latter's miliary adherents arrested hundreds of Woni*»i soldiers •at the Winter Palace and handed them over to the licentious treatment,of Ulrunkfui soldiers from various barracks. ■ An inspection of the Winter Palace, showed that Wanton damage had been.' committed by tiie Bolsheviks. The floor* are ankle deep in ' tho Provisional Government s v correspondence. Cupboards -and drawers were forced, pictures slashed/ and the s cabinet wrecked. Luckily the Provisiona Government had safely stored the principal art treasures in cellars.; terribllTscenes of bloodshed. cadets torn'to pieces. 800 PETROGRAD, . Received a.m 1 LONDON, Nov. 15. The Daily Chronicle's Petrograd correspondent, summarising the position on WonI day, says the Provisional Government lacks : sufficient forces to maintain olhce, and the Bolsheviki lack sufficient to exert authority. Both sides are awaiting [reinforcements. The Bolsheviki, on Sunday, besieged and captured four military training schools and the telephone exchange. # \ The Bolsheviki had previously armed thousands of young, undisciplined, factory workers, forming Socialist R.td Guards capable,of any atrocities.. Tjuiy .massacred batches of captured cadets with* the utmost brutality. Three cadets were trampled to death (during the battle at tho' Telephone Exchange and their bodies left Jn the streets/. • • ! . Tho crowds, capturing one of; the gonools, where tho defenders had used up all their. ammunition, shouted: "Chop, them up, and frenzied sailors- tore tho. cadets to pieces. Rifle fire was hoard everywhere in the city. .... An armoured car containing* an mexpeni enced Bolsheviki crew, plungjed headlong into the river! Field guns! were used against the cadets defending' for seven I hours, and when: the larger broke the 1 walls, the survivors narrowly escaped lynch- ] ing. Many were.thrown into tr* river. Eight hundred casualties w pre reported on Sunday. The situation is'becoming worse. Street fighting must inevitably increase. \ Kerenskv, with troops and.aiHallery, is reported to have reached the outskirts of the citv, and additional Kerensky';troops are reported to be upon the Finland" railway Thus troops are approaching tfio capital from two sides. \ I A Stockholm in essage states thbt Kerensky's proclamation) was issued at; ;Gntchma, where . the Bolsheviki were " engaged in battle witfh troops from tlie front, great ' bloodshed ending in the defeat of the'Bolsheviki. I Russian troops.'on the western fijpnt.have sent' a message of loyalty to Keren|sky. REVOLUTIONARY ARmV DEFEATED. AFTER (BITTER FIGHTING. (Jtatter'e Telegram A Received November 14, 11.30 a.m. LONDON, Nov. 13. A wireless ißjussi'nri communique stales that after l>Stu/«r lighting near Tsarskoe Selo, the revolfunionary army was completely defeated by the forces of M. Kerensky and General Ko>mloflt. -,.'.. • - . , ' • KERENSKY'S APPEAL. ■' • • Australian-New Zealand Cable Association. LONDON. .Nov. 12. Kerensky Unas issued a proclamation in which .he/appeals to the troops who joined / the traitors' under misunderstanding or ' force to,return to fulfil thoir duties to the Fatherlajnd. KERENSIO~TRIUMPHS. I'l CABINET MINISTERS RELEASED. ' I Received November 14, 11.30 a.m. jj . ' LONDON, Nov. 13. •i The Telegraph's Haparanda correspondent', says that after severe fighting M.

Kereijsky triumphed. All the arrested Cabinet Ministers except two have been liberated. Tho troops in Petrograd are now siding with M. Kerensky. LENIN'S CAPTURE REPORTED. Received November 14, 11.30 a.m. , • STOCKHOLM, Nov. 13. Stockholm advices state that M. Kerensky controls part of Petrograd, especially Nevske Prospekt. The Bolsheviki are refuging in Smolny Institute. A report is current that Lenin has been captured. HOW LENIN WAS BOUGHT OVER. THE STORY OF A GERMAN INTRIGUE. COUNTESS VON SCIIAUMBERC'S CONFESSIONS. Countess von Schaumberg. who was engaged in the Kaiser's secret diplomatic service, tells in sensational "confessions,'' amongst other things, th© story of how she was dispatched to Berne for the express purpose of endeavouring to win over Lenin to assist Germany's; plots in. Russia. She found. Lenin] and his followers in sure financial straits, and proceeded to win them over to assisl German aims. P.y flattery, monetary assistance and oilier means she soon had Lenin in bonds, to such an extent that not only was he ready and willing to fall in with her plans, but expressed his intention to divorce his w'ife and marry the beauteous and fascinating countess, a pro'position most repugnant, to the lady, who found the Russian agitator a most repulsive creature. Having secured Lenin's assurance of support, the countess was informed from headquarters that he must be induced to return .to Russia via Berlin. The "Confession" then proceeds as follows:

I sent, for Prince von Rulow, an<l we had a long conference. While we were holding if. instructions came: I was to bring Lenin to Rerlin at all costs.; The instructions carried tho mark which told us both that, they were the personal orders of the Kaiser; and as the Prince pointed out to me, were worded in -the most unambiguous manner. *

It was evident that his Majesty had known' and considered what the cost, to me might be. 1 thought the Prince looked at me a little compassionately • he had seen and appraised this dog of a Lenin.-

"Have no fear, excellency," I said, in answer to his look. "I can handle him without any great difficulty." "In any case, gracious lady," he answered, "the reward will be commensurate with the, sacrifice."

"Say, rather," I suggested, "with the result attained.

"You are right," he said, frowning "All-highest does not reward well-in tentioned failure, even if it involves su preme sacrifices."

I knew that he spoke from bitter personal knowledge, and thought it well to say no more.

The matter of inducing Ilerr Lenin to visit Berlin on his way to Russia was thus confided to my_ sole charge, and from the outset I _ experienced irritating and unexpected difficulties.

fie and his friends were in a state of high exaltation, which did not abate as tho shameful accounts of the arrest of the Russian Emperor and his family came to their hands.

Lenin spoko of his majesty the German Emperor with loathing, and only listened to me when I said that many in Berlin were of his opinion,] and that he must seize the opportunity to encourage them bv a personal visit. He replied that such a visit could I>e deferred until after he had set everything right in Petrograd. I introduced the question of money carefully and cautiously, and was rewarded bv

"eing the light of avarice in his eyes: but hen he disclosed to me what was really in :iis mind.. '•* . < '■ ■ '■'■ ■ --•

His friends in Russia were .plundering royalties, and he wished to hasten back there for his share of the spoils' In the end I had to throw into the balance my own personal entreaties, a dangerous course to take with such, a man. It ■"as inevitable, as both the Kaiser and Prince von Bulow had probably .foreseen knowing in their wisdom more than I about the state of mind of a common follow such as Ilerr Lenin under the circumstances in which he then found himself.

I covered him with reproaches, and asked him what had become of the love he avowed for mo if ho would not accompany mo to Berlin. J wept passionately in his arms, and denied him my lip's and my face. In the end I extorted a promise from him. More elated than ever, he rushed bade (o his crazy band, and soon had gathered .togelhtr a dozen or more who were willing to accept cur German safe-conduct for a journey to Russia through Berlin. Up to the very moment of the departure of the train he- wavered continually, and showed signs- of breaking his promises, so that it became my duly to travel in public with him and his .rabble of followers from Switzerland to Berlin. When I learned Wat he was to be interviewed by Jlerr Hclfl'erieli himself immediate! v upon his arrival in Berlin I recognised with gladness that our Emperor had recognised the. great possibilities of the man and the position. . •■ - - - I myself hastened to report to the Princess, who is our head, and to urge that. I should now be relieved from a task which had become so very unpleasant. She listened to mo with sympathy, but turned-upon me, the stern face of the patriotic German woman. . "The man can perhaps be dazzled with l money and with promises, Hilda," she said, •"but.'you must, remember, the terms of the t«ir vow of our order: : V'-'Mv life for the. -Kaiser.' " f\ had hoped to escape from Berlin witlioutVoeing him-again, but it was not to be. \{U came to me with a false look in Jus fve^'and—l could scarcely believe my ears —.•x'cu'sVh upon his lips'. 1 could have cried witii-relVl to hear him. * ■Rtissia was crying for his presence, lie add and the sacred blood of its millions implored him to preserve it unshed. Our oVvn happiness" was a secondary matter: in tinie he would divorce his inconvenient wife iim .l come back to Germany to do me the honour of making me his wife. jV did not. need to tell me the truth; ho hVd iu very certainty been dazzled wi.h "old Uriel with the promise that" ho should handle\the Judas price that was to be paid to othe'M like him.. •■ ANARCHY IN FINLAND.

AutSMIUE-Afaw Zealand CWe aU *" . STOCKHOLM, Nov. 12. Traveller.-? from Finland state that the situation tlWre;is hopeless. Anarchy is increasing, a.kl there are frequent aesassinatioiis by ext'rennste in broad daylight.